GBFreeski head coach Pat Sharples honoured by Ski Club of Great Britain
GBFreeski head coach and manager Pat Sharples has been awarded the Ski Club of Great Britain Pery Medal for his exceptional contribution to the development of skiing and for his part in the outstanding performances of Great Britain’s freeskiers on the world circuit.
Pat is the first British coach of any World Cup winner and X Games medallist in a ski discipline, and is unfailingly dedicated to the success of the British Freeski team. He also started the British Freeski Camps over 12 years ago when freeskiing was just taking off, and founded the hugely successful Salomon Grom Camps in the UK and Ireland.
Ski Club President and BBC correspondent Frank Gardner presented the Pery medal award at the Ski Club's Summer Party on Saturday night.
On presenting the award Frank Gardner said: “It is a great honour to present the award to someone who has done so much for British elite and grassroots skiing. The structures Pat has set in place have given hundreds of children a clear development pathway to elite skiing; the eldest of which are not just credible athletes, but favourites for medals in the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics. We really hope these kids will continue to inspire others to give wintersports a go.”
When asked how he felt about receiving the award, Pat Sharples responded: "I really can't explain how happy and amazed I am to have been awarded the Pery medal by the Ski Club of Great Britain. The history of the Pery medal is incredible and very humbling, and to now hold this award alongside the previous recipients has truly got to be one of the biggest honours I could ask for, as many of those names are my biggest heroes and role models!
"I couldn't ask to be involved in a better industry than UK snowsports, and I’m just as passionate about my sport as when I first became involved in it when I was 8 years old. I really do feel that I need to share this award with everyone who has helped and worked with me along the way. Without them I would certainly not have been honored with such an incredible award!"
Dave Edwards, Chief Executive of British Ski and Snowboard said: “Pat’s work developing the athletes who now make up the Freestyle team is exceptional. Without his ideas, enthusiasm, dedication and effort I doubt that we would have a funded Freeski team or athletes competing at World Cup level.”
Pat has been referred to as ‘the Pied Piper of English skiing’ (by an ESPN commentator at the Euro X Games 2013) and is described as a 'best mate' and 'a legend' by British elite athletes James Woods (Freesyle World Cup Champion) and Katie Summerhayes (4th in slopestyle at the Freestyle World Ski Championships). His tremendous energy is infectious and Pat has undoubtedly changed the face of British skiing.
Pat Sharples and GBFreeski extend thanks to Bawbags, UK Sport, the Talented Athlete Scheme, FACTechnology and Reeves for their help throughout towards realising the GBFreeski vision.
